News
December 31, 2008

Band Club Sydney players to go on

Despite the sponsor’s decision to make substantial changes to the Grade 1 Band Club Sydney, members of the group, including Pipe-Major Scott Nicolson and Leading-Drummer Dougal McConnell, contend that it will carry on, with plans to attend the 2009 World Pipe Band Championships and other competitions unchanged.
 
In a statement to pipes|drums, “The reports of our demise have been grossly exaggerated. While our principal sponsor, The St Marys District Band Club Limited, has indicated they are withdrawing financial support for international travel and competition, the band [is] committed to staying together and building on the momentum gained over the last four years.”
 
A meeting will be held in Sydney on Monday, December 8th, at which the situation would be discussed between band-members and sponsors.
 
“Due to incorrect information, apparently promulgated by misinformed former playing member(s), the band now feels it necessary to respond,” the statement continued.
 
The band has secured accommodation at the University of Strathclyde for its 2009 trip to Glasgow, and, again according to the statement, “members have intimated their desire to stay together and continue in competition.”
 
Efforts to gain new sponsorship and “an aggressive fundraising campaign” have commenced.
 
“We look forward to informing the pipe band world of a positive outcome,” Nicolson said. “In the meantime, all band members would like to thank the St Marys District Band Club Limited for the generous support over a long number of years.”
 
The developments are reminiscent of the changes to the Grade 2 Robert Malcolm Memorial II Pipe Band (RMM) in 2006. After being promoted to Grade 1, RMM’s parent organization, Simon Fraser University, decided to try to keep the band in Grade 2, whereupon the entire group decided to break away from the SFU system, merging with the Grade 3 Triumph Street Pipe Band, taking on the new name as a Grade 2 band. Triumph Street was then promoted to Grade 1 after the 2007 season.
 
Remaining RMM members subsequently merged with the Grade 2 Maple Ridge Pipe Band.

6 COMMENTS

  1. Hmmm…. watch this space. Going on what the band has said, it looks like talks broke down and the band leadership was not prepared to meet the Board’s expectations, preferring to go their own way and hunt for trophies. Fair enough. Looks like they want a model similar to what Spirit of Scotland” have – i.e. flying everyone in for a few select contests. Obviously

  2. This wont go down well: If we took P|D info first hand and for granted we would believe that Canterbury Caley are going to the worlds 2009 which they are not, and the Band Club are not, which they are!

  3. Glad to hear this news. In addition to having a great fondness for the music and quality of play from Australian bands over the years (Vic Polis, Western Aus, Band Club), I’m not gonna lie: Band Club still have the coolest name out there. Yeah, even cooler thabn Triumph Street. So good for you guys, hope to see you in Scotland in ’09!

  4. Glad to here that Band Club Sydney is trying to make a go of it. All the best. Now, on the subject of funny names, I pulled these from a popular Pipe Band info site. Kootenay Kilties Pipe Band, Midnight Sun Pipe Band, Drumnadrochit Piping, Hohenlohe Highlanders, Andes Pipe Band, Saendistrict Pipes & Drums, Thunderstruck Pipers, Shirley Pipe Band, Manly Warringah Pipe Band, Harpenden Pipe Band, Geauga Highlanders, Nittany Pipe Band, Monmouth College Pipe Band, to name but a few…… Man, I need a hobby……..

  5. As long as BCS follow the Tenor of the last two articles and get back to the Bassics of a sponsorship and it’s obligations, their endevours in the future will surely be Flourishing while keeping up with the modern tempo of the band scene.

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